PESHAWAR: At least 13 people including eight women and four children were killed and 12 others injured when a speeding bus plunged into a ravine in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar on Friday, officials said.

The bus travelling from Hazar Khani to the Landi Sarak area of Peshawar, fell into the ravine due to “overspeeding”, police said.

Assistant Commissioner Peshawar Zeeshan Sikander told Dawn.Com that the bus was carrying more than 45 people including women and children when disaster struck near the Budni Bridge.

“The gushing water of the stream swept away many of the passengers, mostly women and children. Twenty people have been rescued, while the search for others is continuing,” he said.

Police force divers and rescue 1122 workers along with locals are also searching for survivors.

Jameel Shah, an official at Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital also confirmed the accident and casualties, saying that those killed in the crash included eight women and four children.

District administration officials said that the water flow was very fast, which is why many passengers were swept away, adding that they had extended the search operation to forward areas.